Internal-combustion pressure generator



June 26, 1945. N. B. BIRGE INTERNAL COMBUSTION PRESSURE GENERATOR Patented June 26, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE IN TERNAL-COMBUSTION PRESSURE GENERATOR 6 Claims.

This invention relates to combustion pressure generators and more particularly to the type of combustion pressure generators in which a succession of explosions of a combustible gas or mixture are utilized either to operate tools of the pneumatic type or to build up a, pressure reservoir from which such tools or other machinery may be operated, as desired.

The object of the invention is to provide an improved and simplified device substantially automatic in operation and in which the variations in pressure in the combustion chamber are utilized to operate the valves and the ignition system.

The invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement, and combinations of parts hereinafter more particularly described and claimed.

One sheet of drawings, largely diagrammatic, accompanies this specification as part thereof, in which like reference characters indicate like parts throughout.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a vertical, cross-section of a device illustrating the principles of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary, horizontal, crosssection taken on line 2-2 of Figure 1.

In the simplified, diagrammatic illustration accompanying this specification, in which, for purposes of clearness, no attempt has been made to show more or less essential, practical features such as cooling system and the like, the combustion chamber is illustrated as a cylindrical member I provided with outturned peripheral flanges at each end to which are secured a top plate 2 and bottom plate IS. The top plate 2 is formed with a central depression having a threaded orifice adapted to receive a spark plug 4 and on the head 2 is mounted a bracket 5 on which may be mounted a spark coil 6 and switch 1. The switch 1 is provided with an operative crank handle 8 so arranged as to rotate the switch shaft when the handle is rotated in a counter-clockwise direction and to ride freely on the switch shaft in a clockwise direction. Such switches are well,

known and details are not shown herein. The top and bottom plates l5 may be conveniently secured to the cylinder l as by bolts 3.

Below the bracket 5 the cylinder I is provided with a fuel inlet port 40 and below that and in substantial vertical alignment therewith is an auxiliary exhaust port -3|, while centrally of the bottom plate I5 is the principal or power exhaust port 38.

A fuel supply pipe 9 is secured to the cylinder in alignment with the inlet port 40, and positioned in the fuel pipe 9 substantially below the crank I handle 8 of switch I. is a pivoted valve I0 mounted on a shaft to which is secured a double armed lever l2, the lower arm of which is provided with an ofiset portion l3, while the upper arm is adapted to rock'so as to rock the crank 8 of the. switch.

Secured to the cylinder below the fuel inlet pipe 9 are two vertically aligned and spaced track members 35 between which is slidably positioned a valve 32 of arcuate cross-section adapted to seat closely against the wall of cylinder I. The slide valve 32 is provided with a port 33, above which is secured a downwardly directed and outwardly extending baffle 34,- and the slide valve 32 is suspended from cylinder by an expansion spring 36 of just sufiicient strength to retain the slide valve 32 normally suspended with its port 33 below the auxiliary exhaust port 3| of cylinder and in the full line position illustrated in Figure 1.

Secured to the upper end of the slide valve 32 is an offset arm 31 adapted to engage the offset portion 3 of lever 12 to lock inlet valve III in closed position when valve slide 32 is in its elevated position and with its port in alignment with port 3| of cylinder A power exhaust pipe I 6 is secured to the bottom head l5 of cylinder in alignment with the power exhaust port 38 and in this pipe I6 is pivotally mounted an outlet valve I1, to the shaft of which is secured a double-armed lever having the operative arms I8 and IS. The upper lever arm I8 is attached to the bottom plate l5 by means of an expansion spring '20. Mounted on the pipe H5 isa collar 2| carrying an arm 22 extending horizontally therefrom, the outer end of arm 22 being upturned as at 23 to carry a leaf spring 24 having near its free end and on its upper face.

a hammer member 25 which in the normal position of spring 24 and in the lowermost position of slide valve 32'is slightly spaced below the lower edge of the slide valve, as illustrated. The free end'of lever arm 18 overlies the free end of leaf spring 24 adjacent hammer 25.

Pivoted as at 26 to lugs carried by arm 22 is a double-armed catch lever 21 having a detent 23 adapted to engage the free end of leaf spring 24 when the latter is depressed, and as illustrated in dotted lines. The catch lever 21 is arranged to be operated by the lower lever arm I9 connected with outlet valve H.

In the full line position of the mechanism, illustrated in Figure 1, it will be noted that both of the exhaust ports 38 and 3| are closed by their respective valve devices, while the inlet valve I is open, admitting the fuel mixture through inlet pipe 9. With the inlet valve ID in this position, it will be noted that the upper arm of lever I2 is to the left of the switch crank 8 and when the pressure of the fuel mixture Within ,the cylinder l becomes the same as the pressure dotted line position, the free end of the spring rocking catch lever 21 so that the catch 21 controlled by spring 28 will engage and hold in .depressed position the spring '24. the lower lever arm l9 will have assumed dotted line position and the gas from the initial stages 1 of the explosion will pass through power exhaust pipe l6 either to the tools or the pressure reservoir, not shown. As the pressure of these expanding gases fall below the strength of expansion spring 20, lever arms 18 and l 9 will be drawn upwardly, closing valve I1, and by this movement the lower lever arm I9 will rock catch lever 21, releasing leaf spring 24, so that hammer is thrown upwardly, giving an impact blow to slide 32 which, as previously pointed out, is in its barely balanced position controlled by spring 36 and raising the slide valve 32 to a point where its port 33 will begin to clear the lower edge of auxiliary port 3i in cylinder I. The remaining lower pressure gases from the final stages of combustion will pass outwardly through ports 3| and 33 and in so passing will engage the downwardly inclined baflle 34 to further elevate slide valve 32, s'o that the ports 3| and 33 will be brought into substantially complete alignment. During this motion of slide valve 32, the offset arm 31 will assume a locking position with respect to offset portion l3 of valve control lever 12, as illustrated in dotted lines, thus preventing the opening of fuel inlet valve I0 until the gases in chamber I have been exhausted to such a point that slide valve 32 will gravitate against the tension of spring 35 to close port'ill, at which point arm 3'! is cleared from arm I3, releasing lever 42 and permitting the higher pressure of the fuel supply to rock valve ll, readmitting a new charge of fuel into cylinder l. The above outlined cycle will then be repeated automatically.

Various modifications in the precise structure and arrangement of parts will readily suggest At this time,

'Having thus fully described my invention, I claim:

1. A combustion pressure generator comprising, a combustion chamber, an ignition device, a fuel intake with valve control, a work pressure outlet with valve control and an exhaust port with valve means for the exhaust port, means associated with the valve for the exhaust port arranged to control the inlet port valve and means associated with the valve for the work pressure outlet for opening the exhaust valve.

2. The combination of claim 1, in which the valve for the exhaust port is suspended in a spring supported balanced position of repose.

3. The combination of claim 1, in which the valve for the exhaust port has a port associated with a deflector adapted to be impacted by exhaust gases.

4, In a combustion pressure generator having a combustion chamber formed with a fuel inlet port, a work pressure port and an exhaust port and an igniter device, valves for said ports, the

valve controlling the inlet port arranged to operate the ignited device, the exhaust port valve having means to lock the intake port valve, means adapted to coact with the exhaust gases to maintain the said exhaust port valve in the open position, and means associated with the work pressure port valve to initiate the opening operation of the exhaust port valve.

5. A combustion pressure generator comprising, a combustion chamber formed with fuel inlet port, work pressure outlet port and exhaust port, valves for said ports and an igniter device a baflle associated with the exhaust valve, operative means associating said valves and igniter device,

the exhaust port valve balanced to be influenced by escaping gases impinging the bafile in the last stages of exhaust to open position to reduce the chamber pressure below that of the fuel supply.

6. A combustion pressure generator comprising a combustion chamber having fuel inlet port, work pressure outlet port and exhaust port, and an igniter device with control switch, a pressure operated control valve for the fuel inlet port, said valve carrying means arranged to operate the control switch and means to be lockingly engaged to control said valves operation, a spring suspended slidable valve member to control the exhaust port having a port, said slidable valve member arranged to lockingly engage the fuel valve locking member and having a deflector adjacent the port arranged to be impinged by ex haust gases, a spring controlled valve for the work pressure outlet port and means associated with said last mentioned valve and controlled thereby to impact the slidable exhaust valve member to contribute the initial movement for its opening stroke.

NATHANIEL BRADFORD BIRGE. 

